In a tearful and heartfelt moment on the Monday, November 18, episode of Dancing With the Stars, actor James Van Der Beek shared that his wife Kimberly had suffered a miscarriage. James was eliminated from the dancing competition later in the evening.
His quest for the elusive mirrorball trophy has always been a family affair for the Dawson's Creek alum. Earlier in the season, the actor shared an adorable video on social media of daughters Olivia, 8, Annabel, 5, Emilia, 3, and son Joshua, 7, doing their own rendition of his Pirates of the Caribbean themed routine. In another photo he shared, the couple joined the four children along with 16-month-old Gwendolyn to don pirate gear in honor of the number. The family has been supportive of his appearance on the show and has allowed fans to share an intimate peek into their lives. This included not only the announcement that they were expecting their sixth child on the show, but even allowing the Dancing with the Stars crew to join them for the first ultrasound.
This decision was a difficult one as the parents opened up about a history of miscarriages. The 42-year-old actor explained via Instagram that despite the couple having been through "three of those first appointments to discover either no heartbeat, or no baby," they wanted to share this experience in an effort to bring awareness to what parents go through and hopefully help to de-stigmatize a topic they felt was not openly discussed. Speaking in a package early in the episode, he tearfully announced, “My wife Kimberly went through every expectant parent’s worst nightmare. We lost the baby." He went on to say, "You never know why these things happen. That’s what I’ve been telling my kids.” The same evening on Instagram, he posted a photo of his wife and daughter, where he wrote, "Wrecked. Devastated. In shock. That’s how we’re feeling right now after the soul we thought were going to welcome into our family in April... has taken a short cut to whatever lies beyond this life."
James expressed that he didn't think he would be dancing this week, but his wife, from her hospital bed, encouraged him to continue his Dancing With the Stars journey. That journey sadly came to an end later in the show. During an extremely close race that host Tom Bergeron referred to as the “hardest judge’s verdict so far this season,” he lost out to singer Ally Brooks. The elimination, coming just a week before the finale, was an incredibly difficult one for cast and judges alike, with Brooks even attempting to offer her spot in the finale to James. Judge Carrie Ann Inaba also expressed how difficult this decision was to make. It was a tough week all around.
No matter who you are rooting for this season, most fans can agree that James Van Der Beek, who came out as an early front runner, will be missed. His talent shocked fans and judges alike, and his routines never failed to entertain. His elimination alongside professional dancer Emma Slater came as a shock to many. However, this pales in comparison to the personal tragedy that he and his family have experienced. We can only hope that his exit from the show will allow him time with his family to begin the long healing process following such a loss. Their openness in sharing this journey with the public will surely help many other couples who have faced a similar experience, but for now, viewers are wishing the family the best during this very difficult time.
Dancing With The Stars airs Mondays at 8 pm EST on ABC.
Source: Dancing With the Stars, James Van Der Beek